| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Active | 1865–1925 |
| Affiliation | Methodist Episcopal |
| Location | , , |
| Other names | Central Tennessee College (1865–1900) Walden College (1922–1925) |
Walden University was a historically black college in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1865 by missionaries from the Northern United States on behalf of the Methodist Church to serve freedmen. Known as Central Tennessee College from 1865 to 1900, Walden University provided education and professional training to African Americans until 1925.
Meharry Medical College, established as one of Walden's departments in 1876, was the first medical school in the South for African Americans. In 1915, it was chartered separately and became a separate institution. It is one of the constellation of colleges and universities in Nashville.
After regrouping as a junior college in 1922 and offering a two-year associate degree, Walden College closed in 1925 due to financial difficulties and competition with state-run colleges. Since 1935, its second campus (acquired in 1922) has served Trevecca Nazarene University.